Any OSHA regs for sharing company owned helmets

By ctacker (****)

Date 11-16-2008 05:41

see 1915.152(d)
Reissued equipment. The employer shall ensure that all unsanitary PPE, including that which has been used by employees, be cleaned and disinfected before it is reissued.
and
http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=STANDARDS&p_id=9777

sounds like they may be inviting trouble, if their insurance carrier knew what they were doing i doubt they would have insurance long!
If you have no choice and must follow their rules, tell your employer you want it in writing that you have to share, and that if you catch dermititus or ANY other desease they are fully responsible to provide medical care and lost time wages to your family. also I would want them to say that all medical bills will be paid until its established that you didn't get sick from anyone else that used the helmet. that may be enough to scare them.
If it was me I would simply refuse to wear it based on safety issues unless they sanitized it and cleaned it each time.

best bet is to continue using yours and if you get terminated, expose them!!!!

By snuffman (***)

Date 11-16-2008 06:03

Ctacker is right sounds like they are inviting trouble. I would do the same as he said, but in the meantime can you take the head gear out of your hood and use it in the company provided hood? Do you have access to rubbing alcahol or some other sanitizer at work to clean the rest of the hood? They should realy be the one's cleaning the hoods, but I would rather be safe than sorry. I would also show them where OSHA says they are in violation, and call OSHA and show them where thier regulations do pertain to this matter.
Just my 2 cents. Goodluck Snuffman

By Lawrence (*****)

Date 11-16-2008 12:04

It's really almost like having two "company" resparators and demanding that everybody put them on their face.

I think with a little wisdom and research into exact osha language you will easily persuade your employer to buy a personal hood for every welder or get the heck off your backs and let you provide your own.

By jrw159

Date 11-16-2008 13:33

Pat,
Ctacker has pointed you to the pertinant OSHA regulation. Also, I am not aware of what kind of welding you are doing, but your "high end" Speedglas, if in good condition, is up to standard for pretty much any welding conditions. I used one for many years welding in all positions, and I still have it and use it when I train welders. They are blowing smoke with that statement.

They are asking for some big trouble.

jrw159

By Pat

Date 11-16-2008 14:02

Thank you for the responses and OSHA information.

jrw159, I guess I should not have stated that my Speedglass hood is a "high end model". I do not recall the model number but it is the auto darkening one with the side windows. I know Speedglass has more expensive models but to me $400.00 is high end. We mainly do minor repair welding, fabrication projects such as safety railings, tables, racks, etc. This is a large distribution center so nothing like production welding. I am going to give the OSHA information to my immediate supervisor to see if he can at least get us all our own head gear. They do distribute Lincoln welding products so one would think several hoods or head gear would not affect their bottom line too much. I will be sure to let you know the results.........thanks again,

Pat.

By jrw159

Date 11-16-2008 14:34

Pat,
It sounds like you are probably useing the 9002x or 9002v. These can indeed be considered "high end" and is adequate for your application. :-)

John

By Weldrwomn (*)

Date 11-18-2008 01:29

At the very least, wear a do-rag so the headgear on the helmet doesn't actually touch your skin. I still think sharing a helmet is icky though...

By Superflux (****)

Date 11-18-2008 05:37 Edited 11-18-2008 05:40

What about all those COODIES lurking around (post nasal drip in the winter) inside the hood?
I just tell'em "you can borrow my hood right after I borrow your wife!"
Also written inside....... "it's ok, the doctor says I'll never have to worry about catching AIDS again".

By Pat

Date 11-19-2008 19:55

As of yesterday managements solution was to remove the sweat band from the head gear stating that this is a temporary fix until they get some advice from the corporation. We are to use whatever we feel will work for a sweat band, and can temporarily bring in our own hoods which others are not to use without permission of the owner. This is not the best solution, but there must have been something in the OSHA codes I gave them that opened their eyes.........baby steps....baby steps. Thanks

By HgTX

Date 11-19-2008 20:18

Find out what requirements specifically they have for their helmets, and keep documentation (perhaps from manufacturer literature) that your helmet meets those requirements. If they can't give you a specific list of requirements, then they're full of even more crap than your first post indicated.

Hg

By spgtti

Date 11-19-2008 20:55

Ughh! Why not wear someone elses dirty underwear too. Too many germs and waste products are excreted and exhaled from the face. Your boss is a pig and an idiot.

By Superflux (****)

Date 11-19-2008 22:39

Pat,

Here's a baby step for you.

Since your boss likes to recycle paper products, why not smear a little peanut butter (crunchy of course) on some toilet paper and put that in the "use these first" box!!!
Hey, after all it is humor that separates us from the lower beasts.

By Kix

Date 11-20-2008 13:09

He's a cheap sum-a-b!tch is what he is. lol

By DaveBoyer (*****)

Date 11-20-2008 03:25

Allong with Superflux's suggestion, You could have the manager use the company helmet to observe You welding something, and when done say, "I think the last guy to use that hood got rid of His lice"

I worked at places that had only 1 helmet with headgear, it was shared. It wasn't used that often and didn't have any foam parts. Fortunatly nobody caught anything from anybody else. There was another one with a handle on the bottom and no headgear, I used that one.

By Lawrence (*****)

Date 11-20-2008 07:52

Print this thread out and post it in the break room.

They can rip it off the wall and send it to corporate too!!!!!!!!

It's like a dilbert episode

By johnnyh (***)

Date 11-20-2008 20:14 Edited 11-20-2008 22:46

Kill two birds with one stone and use the paper towels.....

"http://s241.photobucket.com/albums/ff110/Polarisxcrtriple/?action=view&current=WELDING-FUNNY.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff110/Polarisxcrtriple/WELDING-FUNNY.jpg"